


bring you back to me

by manchestereye (orphan_account)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake Marriage, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 12:09:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20242624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/manchestereye
Summary: dan howell doesn't wanna get divorced.





	bring you back to me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [icosmics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/icosmics/gifts).

> i still have writer's block i wanna kms but surprisingly i did this without a prompt
> 
> title: aeroplanes by the brobecks
> 
> icosmics ily

dan howell had been best friends with phil lester for a decade now. they met back in their first year of high school, when phil accidentally got hit in the face with a frisbee. dan took him to the nurse, and the friendship had just grown from there. 

so when phil asked if dan will marry him for tax benefits four years ago, dan agreed to the idea immediately. taxes are fucking awful, and if being married will help them out then so be it. it was also good, because phil’s in uni and his uni gives out more money to married couples.

it was a win-win situation for everyone. no one has to know about the marriage, and they’re both free to see other people if they please. except, it’s not really a win-win situation, because dan is very much in love with phil lester. he has been, since they met. 

dan always expected to get over his crush on phil over the years, because he thought it was just a dumb teenage crush, and it’s clear that that’s the only relationship he has with him. but dan never really got over it, and he still likes phil, a lot.

they’re due for a divorce soon, because it’s already been four years, and phil already has his degree. but every time phil tries to bring the conversation up, dan just ignores the question and interrupts with something completely different.

“it’s a good solution.” dan repeats to himself, like a mantra. if you say something to yourself enough times, you’re going to be bound to believe it.

his friend pj just looks at him pacing across the floor. pj’s finding it really hard not to break out laughing at dan’s maniac appearance. 

“dan, you do realize that it was bound to end anyways?” 

dan just gives him a look. 

“yes, i know that the marriage isn’t forever, but sometimes i wish it  _ was _ .” dan whines. typical theater kid, very dramatic.

“have you brought this up to him?” pj asks.

“no. why would i do that? he doesn’t like me.” dan says abruptly.

pj rolls his eyes at that. “you guys aren’t angsty twelve year olds. how would you know that phil doesn’t like you back?”

“because.”

suddenly, they could hear the door unlocking, and that’s the cue for pj to leave. phil says hello to pj, and sets the bags of groceries onto the kitchen table.

“how was your day?” he asks.

“it was pretty good. played mario kart and made lunch for pj and i.” dan shrugs. it’s not a complete lie, because they did play mario kart and eat lunch before dan brought up the topic of their divorce. 

they’ve decided not to talk about it to anyone else, because it’s not really a real wedding, but they needed witnesses at the court, so pj was one of them. louise, another friend of theirs, was also a witness to it.

“i’m glad it was a good day for you, dan. do you wanna play overcooked with me?” phil asks.

dan smiles. “sure.”

-

the next time their “arrangement” is brought up, it’s a week later. phil is getting ready to go to work, when dan walks by the bathroom.

“dan! we need to talk.” 

dan backs up a little bit, and there’s a silence before dan says something.

“well?”

“dan, you know that we have to talk about this.” phil says, exasperated.

dan feigns ignorance. “i have to start the car otherwise we’ll be late for work.”

“this conversation isn’t over!” phil calls out.

dan plays my chemical romance in the car, and talks at a rapid speed about everything, stalling phil from talking about the divorce. but phil turns the radio off anyways.

“what the hell are you doing? i was listening to that!” 

“pull over.”

“no, fuck off!”

“dan.”

dan pulls the car over without another word.

“can we please talk about this? we both have stable jobs, and i’m done getting my degree, i think it’s time that we-”

dan blows a raspberry and says “la la la,” like an immature teenager.

“why are you being such a dick about this, dan? i thought we agreed that this wasn’t forever, and besides, i think i might ask my coworker out-”

“what?” dan interrupts.

“yeah, my coworker, dean. you’ve met him. we went to dinner with him and his friend jack.” phil explains.

“oh. okay. yeah, go for it. okay, we’ll get divorced.” dan says. he starts the car up again, and the rest of the car ride is sat in silence.

dan could feel the tears coming on, but he forces himself to stop crying now before he gets to work.

work is infinitely more slow and tedious that evening.

-

“did phil tell you about the date that he’s going on?” dan asks pj over the phone. dan’s stress baking some cookies, holding the phone between his ear and shoulder.

“i can hear the oven, and i assume that you’re stress baking about this.” pj laughs. dan rolls his eyes.

“he did tell me about the date, actually.” 

dan doesn’t really have anything to say other than “oh.”

“cheer up, okay? i’ll hang out with you while he’s on that date.”

“thanks peej.”

-

the evening that phil’s supposed to go on his date, dan’s helping him get ready. it hurts, but dan fakes a smile while he puts makeup on phil’s face. phil doesn’t really think it’s necessary, but dan said it’ll cover up the dark spots that phil’s been complaining about recently. 

“where are you guys going?” dan asks.

“coffee shop. nice neutral ground.” 

dan doesn’t really comment on anything else.

“have fun on your date!” dan calls out. phil doesn’t hear it, because he’s already out the door.

pj comes over a few minutes later, and they play mario kart while getting hammered. 

dan doesn’t drink all that often, but with how horrible he feels, he decided to whip out the beers.

by the time phil’s come home, he’s passed out on to the couch, and pj’s sitting there looking over him.

“how was your date?” pj asks.

“it was alright, i guess. not something i would do again.” he shrugs.

pj scoffs. “obviously not, you’re in love with dan.”

“yeah, but he doesn’t know that, and he also doesn’t like me back.”

“yes he does.” 

phil’s shocked by that. “what do you mean he does? you’re just pulling my leg.”

“nope. you guys should sort your shit out when he wakes up.” pj says, getting up from the floor that dan’s passed out on.

phil doesn’t really know what to think about this.

-

dan has a pounding headache when he wakes up. phil’s on the couch, eating cereal and watching anime.

“oh, hey you’re awake.”

“yeah. my head’s pounding though.” dan grumbles.

“you did drink a lot.” phil points out.

“speaking of which, please never do that again. i don’t want you dead, you’re my best friend.” phil pouts.

“okay, i won’t.” dan sighs. “how did your date go, by the way?” 

“it was okay. a little bit weird because we were both coworkers. don’t think i’m gonna see him again though.”

“oh, okay.”

there’s a silence.

“by the way, we’re not busy tomorrow, so we could go to the court then. i’m too hungover to-”

phil cuts him off. “actually, dan, scratch that.”

“what?”

“let’s not get divorced.” phil says, with a smirk on his face.

“what the hell are you on about? you were so persistent about it!” dan yells.

“i was! but not anymore! i like you, that’s why i was so insistent on it at first.” he clarifies.

dan scoffs. “i like you too, that’s why i didn't wanna-wait, what the fuck?”

“you like me?!”

phil still has that cocky grin on his face.

“yeah. since like, high school.”

dan sighs. “i’ve liked YOU since high school.”

“daniel howell, my  _ husband _ , when you’re not hungover, would you like to go on a date with me?” phil asks.

“of course, you cheeky little shit.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks
> 
> tumblr: fearoftryinq  
twitter: twotonques


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